Trials of Health and Healing
by CrazyInSye
Summary: Even leaders need a push to get by sometimes... CONTROVERSIAL Ace-centric


When Ace became a Loonatic one of the first things he did was quit smoking.

He hadn't been a heavy smoker, as being a behind the scenes punching bag did require him to stay in top physical form. He'd have about one a day, two if a director was being particularly hard on him. It had been a great improvement from his half-a-pack teenage days. But still, it seemed like he always needed that one to get him by more than just about anything else in the world.

After work he'd always find a desolate place to relish in his guilty pleasure. He didn't believe in walking and smoking; the wafting pollutants were bound to find their way into the lungs of some poor asthmatic soul. Ace preferred an area by the docks, a place off the side of a parking garage, or most often, on the rooftops. In Acmetropolis the roofs were high and dangerous places, but the bunny quite enjoyed time spent alone gazing down at the city. There he would indulge in countless minutes with his rationed cigarette; taking time to review himself and his actions. Trying to figure out what was next for him.

It was always an existential experience…up there on the rooftops. As if the problems in his life were at a standstill and he had all the time in the world to sort them out. It gave him time to access the good and the bad that he'd done and to acknowledge those deeds accordingly. Sparing time for the self-praise of good actions and, rather than chastising the bad, forgiving them. When he was out in the world living his life and surviving its pitfalls he'd been too busy cursing himself for careless jobs or scatter-brained screw ups to really forget them and move on, or to even try fixing them.

And that's where smoking came in.

As the cliché goes, smoking took the edge off life's harshness. Pressures seemed to melt away with every little fix. Though, Ace knew that each 'fix' would also take the edge off of his lifespan. With this, the bunny found another outlet through meditation.

Although he'd meditated before joining the team Ace had only used it during his martial arts training. After that meditating was used for conditioning to the one-a-day regime and when he'd gained a handle on that, he more or less dropped the habit.

After the meteor however, time suddenly became more available. Subsequently finding himself injured and blind, a whole lot of time seemed to open up for the bunny. And so he meditated…along with the smoking that is.

This went on though the months after. All through his recuperation, after his sight returned, and during the discovery of his powers; it became the new routine. He used meditation and smoking combined to form a mental heaven during those tough but interesting times he suffered following the phenomenal event. That is, until his first day fighting with the team.

That day, seeing the crowd cheering and his five new teammates by his side, the leader knew that as such he would need to finally give up his life threatening habit, seeing as there were many more threats to be dealt with now. When he became a Loonatic, the new responsibility he felt for the citizens and for the planet was just the incentive he needed to kick the habit.

And so he did. Successfully finding another outlet for the relief it provided by focusing more on meditation and making it through to a better and clearer thinking leader.

Suffice to say, all of this pained him to remember now, leaning against his zoomatrix and taking a slow drag of the first cigarette he'd had in over a year. The hangar open, gazing out into the night sky and over the beautifully lit city, Ace had the feeling of being back there on the rooftops.

Down below he watched Ophiuchus Sam regain consciousness and whistle for his robo-donkey in the darkness. With an expression of irritation Ace continued puffing as the small man was knocked over by his steed and paused after overseeing him into the night.

He was the Loonatics' unknowing pawn.

It relieved the leader to know that at least one part of the day went right; though getting the western minded buffoon to cooperate took a little more effort than necessary. No matter. He could trust Sam to lead them to Deuce tomorrow as planned and then he could reclaim his sword.

Ace flicked ash into the breeze with a frown. He'd lost the Guardian Strike Sword. What's more Zadavia just revealed to him that the sword harbored secret powers of its own. Consequently, the small act of aid that he'd thought he had been giving to a "friend" might be the mistake that dooms the entire universe.

Ace inhaled a mouthful of smoke with his eyes closed. In a second the smoke released through his nostrils with ease.

It felt good.

The toxins coursing through his body, he felt an overall sense of peace and clarity. He remembered that his team was now ready to face Deuce and see through his façade. They had information on him now after having talked with Zadavia.

Though if he hadn't been such a rebellious puck he would have taken her heed in the first place; the bunny cursed under his breath. Always leave it to the past to screw you up in the future. Shaking his head he put the cig to his lips once more. He held it between two fingers and repeated his actions.

Thinking back, Ace could remember all of the precarious situations he'd gotten himself into in the past and how although he'd had to go through hell and back to get out of those positions, he was always able to pull through them. Even now there wasn't a problem that he and team weren't able to resolve; whether it's for Acmetropolis or the individual hardships of each member. As a matter of fact, this Deuce circumstance couldn't be much more different than the time Mastermind had infiltrated the base to go after Tech. Then the situation was just as personal then as getting his sword back is now.

The cigarette hung limp from Ace's mouth as he stared out at the city. His lean on the cycle had increased with his thoughts and he found himself practically laying back on it. Relaxation was taking over; he could feel his muscles slacking, becoming less tense as his thoughts did the same. He realized that losing the sword was indeed his fault, though there were moral explanations for his error.

He hadn't given up the sword because he was a bad person, but rather because his heart was so full of hope for the decency in society that he hadn't listened to any of the warnings. He'd only offered the Guardian sword to help. Sure it was a major miscalculation on his part, but there was something about the fact that he still believed in others' good character that made the bunny feel right again. After all the bad he'd seen in people lately, you'd think that he would've lost that ability; but no. Ace was proud to discover that he hadn't yet become a cynic.

And he laughed at this.

His chuckles resounding of the walls of the hangar acoustically, but he stopped; the echoes were muffled. The leader realized he still had the cigarette wedged between his lips and then took it from there rather thoughtfully. He watched it burn slowly with interest and a furrowed brow. There was no telling how this might affect his performance levels tomorrow.

So the bunny stood up and walked to the edge of the building, staring at the shortening cigarette with a scowl. He licked two fingers and clamped them on the fiery tip, then released the butt over the side and watched it fall the foreboding drop down into the city below. He stood there for a moment, seeing the wind blow it off course and into the distance where it was swallowed by the bright lights of the city. And as soon as it had disappeared from his sight the leader turned back and began to walk into HQ.

Without much thought, he reached into his breastplate pocket and popped two mints into his mouth. He inhaled deeply as the invigorating flavor filled his sinuses. He felt relieved now that he'd allowed himself to reconnect his mind with the task ahead, instead of wallowing in self-pity. Now he was whole again; ready to take on his consequences and come out on top, as always.

Ace knew that he'd eventually have to master a way of doing this without smoking. He decided to meditate on it when he got inside. Maybe one day he'd perfect his technique for clearing the mind…but today was not that day.


End file.
